Drag-bucket apparatus.



A. L. HANOT.

DRAG BUCKET APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 25. IQIG.

,55A, Patented June 5,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

@x/AWMM A. L. HANOT. DRAG BUCKET APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25.1916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. L. HANOT.

DRAG BUCKET APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 Swami A. L. HANOT.

DRAG BUCKET APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.'25. ma.

Patented June 5, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

pr ea FFIQ.

DRAG-BUCKET APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed November 25, 1916. Serial N 0. 133,455.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER L. HANo'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Fairbanks, Alaska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drag- Bucket Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to scraper buckets, and the means for operating them. It com prises certain related constructions 1n the bucket and carriage, whereby the handling of the bucket for the various operations desired is facilitated, and particularly in the manner of applying the weight of the carriage to assist in controlling the position of the bucket when filling. It also comprises certain constructions whereby the automatic dumping of the bucket may be secured, when it has reached the desired position. It comprises other features which will be hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in the form of construction which is now most preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a side view of the carriage and its associated bucket, in the positions assumed during transportation between the loading and dumping locations.

Fig. 2 shows the same parts in loading position.

Fig. 3 shows the same parts in dumping position.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the bucket.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the bucket and carriage.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the manner of attaching the haul rope to the extreme forward end of the bucket.

It is the object of my invention to produce a bucket and the means for handling the same, whereby the bucket may be freely moved outward to a loading position by means of the trackway cable, which at the time is raised to such a position that the bucket will clear the ground, after which the trackway cable is to be lowered sufficient to cause the bucket to rest upon the earth, after which, and while the carriage is supported upon the bucket. the bucket is drawn in ward being thereby loaded, after which the bucket is raised clear of the ground and brought in to the dumping position. being supported during this movement by the inchned that the carriage will run by gravity to its outermost position. It will be evident to anyone having any knowledge of the operation of mechanisms of this kind, that .the carriage may be positively drawn outward by attaching to the carriage or to the bucket, an out-haul rope. Such an out-haul rope and the manner in which it may be attached, is indicated in Fig.1by the rope section 9. This is secured to the bucket dumping chain 5, in which case it serves to prevent possible dumping of the bucket while it is being drawn in, and before it has reached the dumping position, This outhaul rope may be attached at any part of the mechanism desired.

The bucket 1, may in many respects, be of ordinary construction as herein shown. It has sides 10, bottom 12, and rear end 11. It is also provided with digging teeth 13, which are preferably removably secured along the digging edge. It is also provided with means for attaching a haul .rope thereto, such means as shown consisting of clevises 4, which are secured by pins 15 and chains 40, which extend from each side forward and are joined to a link 43 to which the haul rope is secured. The chains 40 may be spaced apart by a bar 41, which is secured in links of the chain.

The carriage 2 is provided with supporting wheels 20. running upon the trackway cable 7, and is connected with the bucket through the medium of a rigid bail 3. This bail is pivoted to the carriage by means of a pin 32, which passes through a central extension 31 of the bail, this extension pro jecting upward between the side members of the carriage. The swing of the bail is limited in direction by means of a stop 33, which is secured between the side members of the carriage in such position that it will engage the upward extension 31 of the bail, to prevent its swinging forward beyond what is substantially a vertical position. This leaves the bail free to swing backward with relation to the carriage, but not forwardly.

The lower ends of the bail are each providedwith a slot 30, through which passes a pin 16, by which the bail is pivotally con nected with the bucket. This permits a limited lengthwise movement of the bail upon the bucket. Secured to the side of the bucket, adjacent the pivot 16 are plates 6, these being flanged outwardly so as to form an inclined surface 60, extending closely adjacent to the pivot pin 16. These inclined surfaces are spaced away from the pivot pin 16 a sufficient distance to permit the arms of the bail to lie in contact therewith, and to prevent the downward movement of the bail relative to the pivot pin 16, until the bail has been swung to a position which is forwardly with relation to the bucket, but rearwardly with relation to the carriage, or to the position shown in Fig. 2. The body of the plate 6 above the incline 60, extends upwardly and forms an out-board support for the pivot pin 16.-

The bail 3 is provided with a bar 34:, connecting its two sides, this bar being adjusted so that when the carriage and bucket assume the loading position, as is shown in Fig. 2, the bar 84 will engage the upper edge of the bucket, to act as an additional stop to limit its movement in this direction, and also to such position, that when the bucket is swung to dumping position, as is shown in Fig. 3, the bar will engage the rear portion of the top edge of the bucket, to prevent its swinging through the bail.

The location of the pivot pin 16, by which the bucket is supported, is well forward of the center of gravity of the loaded bucket. In transporting the bucket, it is therefore necessary to furnish an additional support for the rear end of the bucket. This is done by connecting a chain 55 with an ear 57 at the rear of the bucket, and with a pin 56 at the rear end of the carriage. This limits the downward drop of the rear end of the bucket. To the rear end of the bucket, herein shown as connectedvat the same point as chain 55, or by attachment to some point of the chain 55, is connected a dumping chain 5. This chain leads over a guide wheel 21, carried by the carriage and forwardly, being connected to the haul rope so that the bucket may be dumped when it reaches the desired position. It is preferred that the forward end of the chain 5 may have a loop 58 formed therein, in which is placed a wheel or sheave 52, which sheave is connected with a link 43 by a short chain 53. The tractive resistance of the carriage is overcome by the connection through the medium of the chain 5. hen a sheave 52 is used as a member of this connection, after the manner shown in Fig. 2, one half of this pull is resisted by the excess weight of the rear end of the bucket, the other half being communicated through the direct connection of chain 5 with the carriage. The amount of this resistance would depend upon the angle of the trackway cable and other facts.

During the loading action of the bucket, the bucket occupies a position rearwardly of'the carriage, relative to that occupied during transportation. It also has approached closer to the carriage by reason of the angular position of the bail. The result of this has been to take up the slack, which normally exists in the draft chains 40 during transportation, and also to slacken back somewhat upon the dumping chain 5. This relieves the chain 5 of any material draft during the loading operation, and throws this draft upon the chains 40.

A further result of this action is the bringing of the bail 3 into position to engage the arm 34 with the top edge of the bucket, and also to engage it with the inclined surface 60 limiting its forward position. As a result of this the weight of the carriage 2, and also to a considerable extent if desired, the weight of the trackway cable itself, is placed upon the bail 3 and through this upon the bucket. Due to the swinging of the bail 3 forwardly relative to the bucket, this weight is placed well forwardly of the digging edge 13 of the bucket, thereby tipping up the rear of the bucket, or placing it in favorable position for digging. The parts will retain this relative position so long as the weight of the carriage is supported upon the bucket. hen however, the bucket has been filled, the trackway cable 7 is tightened, thus raising it and with it the carriage, and veventually the bucket. This action swings the bucket forward under the carriage, slackens the chains 40, and transfers the traction effort for the carriage to the chain 5.

lhe raising and lowering of the trackway cable 7 may be secured in any convenient manner. The manner herein shown consists in inserting two sheaves 71, with corresponding rope 7 O, in the supporting connection of the trackway cable at the head end thereof. By slackening ofi upon the rope the cable 7 may be lowered, and by winding in upon the cable 70, the trackway cable 7 will be raised.

I have provided a series of holes it for the reception of pins 15, by which the clevises 4 are secured to the bucket; these pins being in difierent vertical position. The intensity of the digging effort may be controlled by the pin 15. I have also shown a separate set of holes 17 at the extreme forward end of the sides of the bucket, at which points may be secured a shorter clevis 42, if this is desired.

By the use of mechanism of the kind herein described, the weight of the bucket may be kept low, and the digging effort may be insured by the transference thereto of the weight of the carriage, and to a considerable extent of the trackway cable at the time of digging; and further by providing means whereby thebucket may be raised clear of the ground during the inward travel thereof after loading, wear of the cables due to dragging over the ground is largely avoided. As a consequence of these features, the weight and cost of constructing the bucket is reduced, and the weight upon the cables is also reduced to a small portion of that which would follow a plan of operations wherein the cable was dragged over the ground all the time.

In consequence the first cost of the apparatus is reduced, as well as the cost of its maintenance.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a scraper bucket and a supporting carriage, of a rigid bail member, pivoted upon and connecting carriage and bucket, and a controlling guide and stop carried by the-bucket having means to insure the swinging of the connecting bail toward the loading end of the bucket when lowered to the ground, and to limit the extent of such swing.

2. The combination with a scraper bucket and a supporting carriage, of a rigid bail member pivoted upon and connecting carriage and bucket, and a stop carried by the carriage in. position to engage the bail to prevent its swinging toward the front end of the carriage.

3. The combination with a scraper bucket and a supporting carriage, of a rigid bail member pivoted upon and connecting carriage and bucket, a stop carried by the carriage in position to engage the bail to prevent its swinging toward the front end of the carriage, and a stop carried by the bucket in position to engage the bail to prevent its swinging toward the rear end of the bucket.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 4. The combination with a scraper bucket and a supporting carriage, of a rigid bail member pivoted upon and connecting carriage and bucket, and a stop carried by the carriage in position to engage the bail to prevent its swinging toward the front end of the carriage, and a stop carried by the bucket limiting the swing of the bail.

5. The combination with a scraper bucket, a supporting carriage, a suspension bail pivoted to the carriage and having a pinand-slot pivotal connection with the bucket, and a guide engaged by the bail to swing its upper .end forwardly as it drops downwardly.

6. A scraper bucket having pivot pins for a bail, an angularly placed deflecting plate adjacent said pins, and a bail having a slot receivin said pins.

7. The combination with a carriage, a scraper bucket, a bail pivoted to the carriage and having slotted ends for connection with the bucket, the carriage having a stop preventing swinging of the bail forwardly, pins on the bucket entering the slots in the bail, and plates projecting from the bucket adjacent said pins and presenting angularly positioned surfaces to engage the side edges when it drops upon the pins.

8. The combination with a trackway cable, means for raising and lowering said cable, a carriage mounted to travel on this cable, a scraper bucket, a bail pivoted on the carriage, and to the bucket, means limiting the swing of the bail upon the carriage to one direction from its suspension position, and a haul line connected with the bucket.

9. The combination with a trackway cable and a carriage movable thereon, of a scraper bucket, a rigid bail pivoted to the carriage and to the bucket, a haul line connected with the bucket, a trip line connected with the rear of the bucket and with the haul line, a guide for the trip line carried by the carriage, and a carriage stop on the trackway cable.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 18 day of November, 1916.

ALEXANDER L. HANOT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

